1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to stringed musical instruments such as electric guitars and, more particularly, to an improved tremolo arrangement for use with such instruments.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Guitarists frequently wish to create a musical effect known as “tremolo”, the temporary altering of string pitch. Devices manipulable to produce this tremolo effect are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,171,661, 4,555,970, and 4,882,967 to Rose and U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,741,146 and 2,972,923 to Fender. An electric guitar equipped with a tremolo apparatus constructed in accordance with the prior art is depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2. The guitar includes a sound body 1 from which extends a neck 2, terminating in a head 3. Strings 4 extend from a string bridge A that is mounted to sound body 1 so as to be rotatable about its longitudinal axis, this longitudinal axis extending transverse relative to the longituding axis of neck 2. At forward terminals 4b, strings 4 are wound around pegs 6. A lever bar indicated generally at 5 is attached to bridge A and extends from its point of attachment to bridge A in a direction generally toward head 3.
With particular reference to FIG. 2, it will seen that formed within body 1 is a transverse slot 12 which communicates at the under side of the body with a recess 13 directed toward neck 2. Bridge A includes a base plate 14, one margin of which is beveled to form a fulcrum ridge 15. The beveled margin of base plate 14 is secured to body 1 by screws (not shown) which permit limited pivotal movement of the base plate about the fulcrum 15. The fulcrum is located forwardly of the slot 12, that is, toward the neck 2. Secured to the inner side of the base plate 14 is a bar 25 which extends into slot 12. The bar is provided with a plurality of vertically extending bores (not shown). Each string 4 passes over a corresponding bridge element as bridge element 22a, through a slot (not shown) and into the corresponding bore in bar 25. Secured to the lower extremity of bar 25 is a plurality of tension springs 28 that extend forwardly within recess 13 and are relatively stiff. The forward extremeties of the tension springs are retained by hooks 29 formed along a margin of a tension plate 30. The tension plate 30 has a flange 31 at its forward margin which receives screws 32 adapted to be driven into the body 1 at the forward extremity of the recess 13. A cover plate 33 closes recess 13.
While strings 3 of the prior art system depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 are touched, the handle of forward extending actuating lever 5 rides in the palm of the player's hand and the lever is pivoted by changing the position of the strumming/plucking hand—pivoting bridge A away from or nearer to body 1 and thereby increasing or decreasing the tension in strings 3 to obtain the desired tremolo effect. As used herein, the term “forward extending” refers to a tremolo actuating lever which extends from its point of attachment to the bridge in a direction generally toward the neck and head (proximal end) of the instrument, as opposed to a distal end of the instrument.
A disadvantage arises in that the large, forward extending lever 5 used to apply pivoting forces to the bar or plate requires awkward, unnatural movements to use. Lever 5 tends to swing around when the instrument is played and is rarely in the same place when the player has to reach for it. This can cause problems during a performance. Finally, a long reach to grab onto the bar takes the plucking or strumming hand away from the strings, which can affect the timing of the music being played
A need therefore exists for a tremolo actuating arrangement that allows the user to obtain the tremolo effect with minimal effort, and in a repeatable manner, using the strumming hand.
A further need exists for an actuating structure that can be easily retrofitted to styles of stringed instruments which are already designed to accommodate a conventional tremolo structure such, for example, as tremolo-equipped Fender, Paul Reed Smith, or Floyd Rose Tremolo system-equipped electric guitar models.